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Sleep Apnea

5 Simple Exercises to Stop Snoring

5 Simple Exercises to Stop Snoring

Snoring can be a tough topic and a source of contention between roommates, spouses, and bed partners. Sometimes, it forces people to sleep in separate rooms. If you or your loved one snores, it’s natural to look for ways to reduce snoring so you can all get a better night’s sleep. Dr. Bogrow suggests some mouth and throat exercises that help tone muscles around the airway. It can help make snoring less noisy and less frequent. Just like any type of therapy or workout regimen, the exercises to stop snoring need to be done regularly to be effective.

Why do we snore? How is it connected to sleep apnea?

While you are sleeping, the area behind your tongue becomes narrower. The tissue relaxes and becomes floppier. As you inhale and exhale air is forced through the area and the loose tissue flutters. It might sound like a flag being whipped around by the wind. Snoring occurs when the airflow causes this tissue to vibrate. Obstructive sleep apnea is the result when these relaxed muscles relax enough to close the airway. Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea can cause disruptive sleep patterns and low oxygen while you are sleeping.

How do mouth exercises help you stop snoring?

Since snoring and sleep apnea are caused by loose and floppy airway muscles and poor tongue positioning, exercises are beneficial. Throat and mouth exercises help tone up the tongue and airway muscles and help promote breathing through the nose. You can compare it to going to the gym regularly. Just like lifting weights helps tone your arms, regular mouth and throat exercises help strengthen muscles related to breathing. When the muscles are toned, you should experience less snoring and fewer sleep apnea episodes.

How often should I do the mouth exercises?

When you visit Dr. Bogrow at Michigan Sleep Apnea Center, ask him about the types of mouth exercises that would be beneficial to you. You may also ask him how often they need to be done. For most people, Dr. Bogrow will recommend doing them for at least 10 minutes every day for three months. It can take some time to firm up the muscles and see tangible results. Just like other types of exercises, it can take some time. It’s not likely that you’ll see immediate results.

5 super Simple Exercises to Help You Stop Snoring and Get Better Sleep

· Exercise 1 – put the tip of your tongue right behind your top front teeth. Slide it backward and then back to your teeth. Do this for three minutes.

·  Exercise 2 – Use your tongue to make a loud clicking sound by pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Continue clicking your tongue for 15 seconds. Repeat this 10 times.

·  Exercise 3 – Hold your mouth open and contract the muscles at the back of your throat. Do this for 30 seconds. You can look in a mirror while doing this exercise to see the uvula moving up and down.

·  Exercise 4 – Try singing. Seriously! Singing increases muscle control in the soft palate and the throat. This can help reduce snoring when it’s caused by lax muscles.

Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Bogrow

These simple mouth exercises to stop snoring are just one option for reducing snoring. Chances are, if you snore a lot, you may actually have sleep apnea, which can be a life-threatening condition as it contributes to other health problems such as stroke.  At Michigan Sleep Apnea Center we offer a custom-fitted dental appliance for the treatment of sleep apnea. If you can’t tolerate CPAP or are looking for an alternative solution to CPAP,  contact us today to schedule your visit! Let us help you (and the rest of your household) get a better night’s sleep!

Testimonials

“Dr. Bogrow and his staff helped me deal with sleep apnea in a painless, non-invasive way without a C-PAP machine. Prior to using the dental appliance, my sleep study measured nine interruptions an hour. After getting used to, and wearing the appliance for over a year, my follow-up sleep study measured just TWO interruptions per hour. I don’t notice these interruptions at all and I am waking up feeling wonderfully well-rested! Dr. Bogrow’s been so kind and very patient with me, because getting the best results requires fine-tuning and patience as the appliance is adjusted. Dr. Bogrow takes time to listen to answer any questions I have. I truly appreciate the service he provides and would recommend this option to anyone with mild sleep apnea, before starting on a CPAP machine. As they say, “There’s nothing like a great night’s sleep!”

Lisa W.
“I am writing this review with the most sincere thank you for what you have done for me. As you know I was diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea in January of 2020. I was prescribed a CPAP machine and dutifully used it for the following 18 months.

It was a period of misery. In the course of using the CPAP I averaged 3-5 hours of sleep a night, had to get up 3-5 times a night to go to the bathroom, was unable to sleep on my side which I have done all of my life due to the mask leak from each of the numerous styles that I had tried. Additionally, each time I went to bed or was awakened it took 20-30 minutes to fall asleep. When I woke up in the morning I was exhausted. Use of the variety of masks I used accentuated feelings of claustrophobia. It very quickly got to the point that I absolutely dreaded going to bed. Simply put I was miserable.

I decided to explore options for treating my Sleep Apnea problem. Thankfully, it did not take long to find Dr. Bogrow. Reading about his credentials, experience and most notably his successes convinced me that he was the one I wanted to see. From the first visit I knew I had made the right choice.

I received my Prosomnus oral appliance on 6/9/2021 making it 5 months of extraordinary results. I now average 7-8 hours of sleep a night, I get up 1-3 times a night, two times is the number 95% of the time, I now can sleep on my side enabling me to sleep peacefully, it takes on average 5-10 minutes to fall asleep whenever I am awakened and there are no feelings of claustrophobia.

This has changed my life dramatically, I no longer dread going to bed and I wake up feeling at least 30-40% more rested than when using the CPAP device. My experience makes me think of the song “What A Difference You’ve Made In My Life”.

I have Dr Bogrow and Barb to thank for my new life. If a person meets the criteria for the use of these oral appliances for treatment of their Sleep Apnea it is with my strongest and most sincere recommendation for them to contact Dr Bogrow’s office. Barb is a wonderful person to work with, always kind and understanding as well as competent and helpful. Do yourself a favor, get in touch with them and explore your options.”

Satisfied Patient
“Dr. Bogrow is a wonderful doctor and person! He is compassionate and expert in helping me, and I’m sure many other patients, get needed and healthy sleep! I appreciate all that he and his kind staff members have done for me over the past 5-plus years. Thank you.”
Darla F.
“When I first came to see Dr. Bogrow I was always so tired. I felt like I didn’t get a wink of sleep. That was definitely not the case because I could sleep anywhere at any time. I had a cpap machine in my closet for over two years and couldn’t bring myself to continue to use it.

I asked my doctor if a mouthpiece could possibly help me. He recommended that I speak with Dr. Bogrow, so I made my appointment and our journey began. I was fitted with my appliance and after just a few adjustments it was working beautifully! Amazingly I now sleep knowing that when I wake up in the morning I will feel new and refreshed to take on the day! I thank God for Dr. Bogrow, Barb and the entire staff for their excellent care, expertise, and how they genuinely care about me and how I feel! So if you suffer from sleep apnea please don’t hesitate to talk with Dr. Bogrow. I know he will do everything he can to help you feel good again!”

Janice L.
“Dr Bogrows successfully modified a temporary oral appliance for sleep apnea in pursuit of a permanent appliance for me. Dr Bogros considers my case “challenging” and I appreciate his acceptance of the challenge. Everyone I have had contact with in the office (Barbara, Sarah, Amy) have been pleasant, professional and efficient.”
Doug French
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